Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1887-03-17

struggle came; The air was filled with
cries as the heated mass broke against
the building, and John Earling was
thrown from his plunging horse and
went under in the struggle, but Absa-
lom tore the helpless, fainting wretch
through all and thrust him headlong in
at the open door, and the bolts shot 10
their sockets and the man was safe.
CHAPTER XIX.
He was safe behind the thick stone
w,ll-the still book-keeper-and the
thousand hands that burned to rend his
flesh and soul apart were powerless.
But he rceled about with his fingers
pressed hard upon the veins of his thin
neck, and gasped for breath, until the
crowd had melted away toward the
river; then he sat down with his blood
shot eyes upon the floor and was dumb.
What ho had suffered, what black
plague had eaten his heart raw TO the
touch of passion, how vtllianously
mixed were the ingredients of his nat
ure, or what mingled fire and darkness
had swept over him with torture and
delusion, or yet how far In the eyes OF
God-weighing his guilt acaihst the
unseen forces that bcgot it-hc was
blamablo, can never be wholly known
this side of Heaven.
Joel was shocked beyond language,
and refused to believe in his guil,, as
did Mrs. Whitney, and indeed half Of
Openstone. But ont by the river the
inquest went on. and the prisoner was
held for examination; there again.
when examined before a justice, he
was held for trial at the regular term
of court
All day long, without thought Of
food or rest, John Earling watched
and guided. trying to satisfy himself in
the sight of Heaven it this man were
guilty or no. Ii was the first time in
his life that he had taken steps to
fasten crime upon a fellowman, and
then, aud ever after, he could not and
would not proceed without the finest
scrutiny of the entire field, lest in
prosecution or defense he might COM
NIT a wrong scarcely inferior TO the
first.
That night the town babbled with
dark words and prophcsyings of the
prisoners ultimate escape. Joel pro-
vided bail for his unfortunate employc,
but the cringing. miserable man would
not submit his life to the street, aud
guards were placed about the Jail.
Out where the town met the prairie
TO the north the old lawyers house
stood under the signing trees with n
darkness deeper than the night infold-
inc, IL Tp tl,n lin, ,arI,r a. horn NJ ayv,
had often moved so airily she now lay
still with bloodlcss face and draped in
white. Mrs Bower. Celeste. snd other
women with pitying hearts, had ar
rayed her so. and Celeste had wept
above her, putting white flowers in her
waN-like, helpless hands and dark ,drup
hair that she might seem beautiful 10
him who. she thought, had loved the
murdered maiden. should he come.
Late at night, after a long consulta.
ton with Judge Bower and the State
Attorney. John Earling came wearily
and with an unspeakably dark heart iI
ut the old lawyers door. Mrs. Bower
received him and led him in where the
still sleeper lay. and Celeste, who had
been sitting by her, at sound of his
footsteps went into the adjoining room
where other watchers sat and closed
the door For long time he stood by
the dead girl, gazing. plying. al
most wondering, at her awful white
ness, her utter silence. her bottomless
sleep. That which had charmed him
was not there, the life that gave
her beauteous motion had been
checked and turned aside into region
where his eyes could never follow. Is
it possible to love a single human at
tribute alone aud vet not draw it, pos
SCISSOR wholly into the heart? Perhaps
it was so with him, but he did not
think of it. He was plying her, and
mingling his pity with an angry sor-
row that was speechless before the awful
irreparabic wrong that had been done
20 her There she lay. stained, and
cut OF in the fine bloom Of innocent
girlhOod; torn out of the world,
wrenched away from home and
father, spoiled Of her name, breath,
sight, life. and all that had ever been
or might be dear aud sweet 10 con-
sciousness, for what? Through whom?
80 she did not know! She had no
and they never told heIl
they never told kcr!" he moaued
and started from the room,
not seeming TO know that Mrs. Bower
was there. She followed him softly
out upon the porch and laid her hand
upon his arm. "lIer father wanted TO
see you il sou came, she said.
lie turned upon her with angry,
eyes and looked at her a
trembling with feeling. "Is
never told her there was any harm in
.he world" he said, thickly. "She
had no mother, and he never told herl
| know know he loved her; he
Owed her foolishly, childishly. and had
,yory thing kept from her that for her
Dwn safety she should have known
and known the danger Of! o be killed
ler with ignorancei She was no wis
han little childr' and he started
away into the darkness, leaving thu
woman standing there wondering az
him. After a time he came back and
1t the left hand side OF the hall went
nto the old lawyers rooms II was
near midnight, and the lights were
,urned down and dimly glimmering
against the glaring horns OF the elk's
lead the eagles eyes, the glass cabin
ITS and scintillating serpeHts' skin.
)ut in the darkness he had thought Of
he picture Of Maun's mother hanging
here under its frightful covering. and
hOught what she must have been to
he old lawyer that he had
'crved her picture thus, and how mainly
through that, perhaps. he had feared
o have Maun eger know there was
1itfall in the world, and that
path was filed with smiling
'ipers. How false had been his
light How sadly had fear un-
lone his Judgment What an
nd had come OF itl The young mans
bitterness melted into pity for the
mans wrecked life, and he irrnsd
bout aud came back lie glanced
bout him and shnddered; Though the
doorway al the farther end Of the long.